The present invention relates to a vinyl flooring product having a design visible from a top surface of the product, and more particularly to a vinyl flooring product having an imbedded web creating a pattern visible from above.
Vinyl is often applied to the back of carpet tile. Vinyl is also utilized to create flooring products. Textures have been added to the surface of some vinyl flooring products as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,185. However, a need still exists to provide an improved flooring product, especially one with superior aesthetics.
Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vinyl flooring product having improved aesthetics, and particularly such a product which utilizing a mesh, screen or scrim, hereafter a skeletal framework, which is imbedded into a top surface of the vinyl and then cured in an oven. The finished product produces a pattern which has a top portion of the skeletal framework exposed through a top surface of the cured vinyl or has valleys in a top surface of the vinyl where the mesh has been imbedded which resembles the skeletal framework.
Vinyl at least partially fills the voids, or openings, between runners in the skeletal framework. Anticipated skeletal framework material include metal and nylon. Further processing may be performed on the imbedded vinyl including, but not limited to, cutting into squares, and/or coating with a clear protective coating.